M Account of the Erection of the Bell Roch Lighthouse. 
lions of provisions while at the light-house ; but while ashore 
they find themselves in provisions. In their regular turns, each 
keeper is six weeks at the rock, and a fortnight ashore, or from 
the one set of spring-tides to the other ; but, during the winter 
months, their turns depending upon the state of the weather 
and tides, they are sometimes kept at the rock for a period of 
three months together. It has repeatedly happened that no 
communication could be had with the light-house during two 
months. In such cases, carrier-pigeons, which are taken off 
to the rock by the tender, and let fly from the light-house, 
with billets tied round their legs, have been found extremely 
useful. The pigeon-house and breeding-place for these carriers, 
is, of course, at the settlement ashore ; and it has been remarked,, 
that the pigeons, when dispatched from the rock, do not fly di- 
rectly to their home, but invariably make for the Ked Head, 
the nearest high land, and thence trace their course along the 
shore. There is always in the light-house an extra stock of 
salted provisions and biscuit, equal to a consumpt of 70 days. 
This is annually renewed, but has never as yet (1824) been re- 
quired to be used, the ordinary fresh supplies carried out by the 
tender, when she relieves the keepers, having been found suffi- 
cient for their maintenance. Attention to the necessaries and 
comforts of people so situated, in the service of the public, upon 
a sunken rock, far in the ocean, under circumstances the most 
alarming at times to human feelings, was to be expected from 
just and enlightened policy : And we have the pleasure to say, 
that the Lighthouse Board has spared no pains to render their 
situation as comfortable as possible. The interior walls of the 
apartments, not admitting of being plastered, are smoothly polish- 
ed and painted, while the several rooms are neatly and suitably 
furnished. Besides a small library, the keepers have a weekly 
newspaper, and one of the monthly journals, supplied to them ; 
their families are meanwhile comfortably lodged at Arbroath, 
and have the accommodation of a piece of garden-ground, and 
a pew in the parish church. Every third year the light-keepers 
are furnished with a suit of uniform clothes. 
Since the completion of the lighthouse, the beacon-house has 
been removed, and also part of the iron railways, leaving only 
such tracks of them upon the Bock as were thought necessary for 
